Zero hours contract template for UK employers

Zero hours contract template

Fill in the brackets. This template is for a zero hours worker in England, Scotland or Wales. Give the worker a copy on or before the first day of work.

ZERO HOURS CONTRACT

This contract is between [employer legal name], of [address], the Employer, and [worker full name], of [address], the Worker. It starts on [date].

1. 1Nature of the arrangement. The Employer may offer the Worker work from time to time as [job title]. The Employer has no obligation to offer work, and the Worker has no obligation to accept any work offered.
2. 2Place of work. Work will usually take place at [address or area], or as agreed for each assignment.
3. 3Offers of work. The Employer will offer work by [phone, message or app] with at least [number] hours notice where possible. The Worker may accept or decline each offer.
4. 4Pay. The Worker is paid [amount] per hour for hours worked, which is never less than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage that applies to the Worker. Pay is made [weekly or monthly] by bank transfer.
5. 5Holiday. The Worker is entitled to statutory annual leave in proportion to the hours worked. [Holiday pay is calculated as the law requires for irregular-hours workers, including rolled-up holiday pay where the Employer chooses it.]
6. 6Cancelled shifts. If the Employer cancels an accepted shift with less than [number] hours notice, the Worker will be paid [amount or number of hours].
7. 7Other work. The Worker is free to work for other employers at any time. Nothing in this contract stops the Worker looking for or accepting other work.
8. 8Sickness. The Worker must tell the Employer as soon as possible if they cannot attend an accepted shift. Statutory Sick Pay is paid when the Worker qualifies for it.
9. 9Health and safety. The Employer is responsible for the health and safety of the Worker while working, and the Worker must follow the health and safety rules.
10. 10Pension. The Employer will assess the Worker for automatic enrolment in a workplace pension as the law requires.
11. 11Confidentiality. The Worker will keep the Employer business information confidential during and after this contract.
12. 12Ending this contract. Either party may end this contract by giving [number] days written notice. No notice is needed to decline an individual offer of work.
13. 13Disciplinary and grievance. The Employer procedures are set out in [document or location].
14. 14Entire contract. This contract, with the written statement of particulars, is the whole agreement.

Signatures: [Employer name, role and date] · [Worker name and date]

Use this template to fill it in and send it to sign from SignSolú.

What a zero hours contract means

Zero hours contracts are also called casual contracts. GOV.UK describes them as usually for piece work or on-call work, for example interpreters.

• The worker is on call to work when the employer needs them.
• The employer does not have to give them work.
• The worker does not have to do work when asked.

Rights of zero hours workers

The exclusivity rule

An employer cannot stop a zero hours worker from getting work elsewhere. The law says the worker can ignore a clause in their contract if it bans them from looking for work or accepting work from another employer.

That is why the template says the worker is free to work for others. Leaving that clause out does not change the rule, but writing it in avoids confusion.

Holiday pay for irregular hours

Zero hours workers build up holiday in proportion to the hours they work. For leave years starting from April 2024, employers can calculate it as 12.07% of hours worked and may pay it as rolled-up holiday pay with each payslip.

If you choose rolled-up holiday pay, show it as a separate line on each payslip, so the worker can see it.

Worker or employee

Most zero hours staff have worker status. Some may be employees, depending on how the relationship works in practice, such as regular hours over a long period.

Employees get extra rights, such as protection from unfair dismissal after the qualifying period and statutory redundancy pay. Review the status if a casual arrangement becomes regular.

Changes to zero hours rules

The UK government has been reforming the rules on zero hours and low hours contracts, including rights around guaranteed hours and notice of shifts. Check the current guidance on GOV.UK before you issue a contract.

How to sign a zero hours contract online

Upload a zero hours contract to SignSolú or start from a template. Add each signer with a name and a phone number or email.

Each signer gets a link by WhatsApp or email. On a phone they tap the brown bar at the bottom that says «Sign as …».

They draw their signature once with a finger and press «Sign and Send». Every place in the document that needs it gets filled.

A line next to that button records their consent to sign electronically, with a link to the disclosure.

The signed PDF ends with an audit certificate. It shows each signer, the time, the IP address and a SHA-256 hash of the file.

If the other side sends their own PDF form instead, fill in the PDF form online, add the date and your signature, and download it.

In the UK, section 7 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000 lets an electronic signature be admitted as evidence. Employment contracts can be signed electronically.

Common mistakes

1. 1An exclusivity clause. The worker can ignore it, and it signals poor practice.
2. 2Paying below the minimum wage. It applies to every hour worked, including training.
3. 3No holiday pay. Casual staff still build up leave.
4. 4No written statement on day one. Workers are entitled to it from the start.
5. 5Treating a regular role as casual. Years of fixed shifts may point to employee status.

An example

A catering company in Manchester staffs events on a few days a month. It offers shifts by message to a pool of 40 casual staff, who accept the ones they want.

Each new worker receives the zero hours contract by WhatsApp and signs it from a phone before the first shift. The company pays at least the minimum wage and shows rolled-up holiday pay on each payslip.

Checklist before the first shift

• The contract and the written statement are signed.
• The hourly rate meets the minimum wage for the worker age.
• Holiday pay method is chosen and shown on payslips.
• Right to work checks are done and recorded.
• The worker knows how shifts are offered and how to decline.

People also ask

Is a zero hours contract legal in the UK?

Yes. It is legal, as long as the worker gets the minimum wage, holiday and the other rights the law gives workers.

Do zero hours workers get holiday pay?

Yes. They build up statutory annual leave in proportion to the hours they work.

Can I refuse shifts on a zero hours contract?

Yes. The worker does not have to accept work, and the employer should not punish them for declining.

Can a zero hours worker have another job?

Yes. The law lets them ignore any clause that stops them working for others.

How much notice does a zero hours worker need to give?

What the contract says for ending it. Declining a single shift needs no notice.

Do zero hours workers get sick pay?

Statutory Sick Pay is paid when they meet the qualifying conditions.

What is the difference between zero hours and part time?

A part-time worker has set hours. A zero hours worker has no guaranteed hours.

Can a zero hours contract be terminated without notice?

Declining or not offering a shift needs no notice. Ending the contract itself follows the notice the contract sets, and statutory notice for employees.

Related templates and guides

• Employment contract
• Letter of offer of employment
• Independent contractor
• Electronic signatures in the UK

Sources

• GOV.UK, «Contract types and employer responsibilities: zero-hours contracts»
• Electronic Communications Act 2000, section 7, on legislation.gov.uk